Pilots are required to remain above 1000' AGL whenever flying within any of the four designated restriction zones described below:

From mean high water to 3 nautical miles (nmi) offshore between a line extending from Pt. Santa Cruz on a southwesterly bearing of 220° true and a line extending from 2 nmi north of Pescadero Pt. on a southwesterly bearing of 240° true;

From mean high water to 3 nmi offshore between a line extending from the Carmel River mouth on a westerly bearing of 270° true and a line extending due west along latitude parallel 35°33.2928'N off of Cambria;

From mean high water and within a 5 nmi seaward arc from a center point of 36°48.0774' N, 121°47.4204' W (the end of the Moss Landing ocean pier as it appeared on the most current NOAA nautical charts as of January 1, 1993); and

Over the Sanctuary's jurisdictional waters of Elkhorn Slough east of the Highway One Bridge to Elkhorn Road.

For a map of the overflight zones within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, click here.

Prohibited or otherwise regulated activities include: Disturbing marine mammals or seabirds by flying motorized aircraft, except as necessary for valid law enforcement purposes, at less than 1,000 feet above any of the four zones within the Sanctuary described above. Failure to maintain a minimum altitude of 1,000 feet above ground level above any such zone is presumed to disturb marine mammals or seabirds.

Click chart for an "excerpt" of the FAA San Francisco Sectional and San Francisco Terminal Area Chart (excerpt is not intended for navigational purposes).

Click here for an "excerpt" of the FAA Los Angeles Sectional Aeronautical Chart (excerpt is not intended for navigational purposes).

Click here for complete and up-to-date Los Angeles and San Francisco Sectional Charts and Los Angeles and San Francisco Terminal Area Charts.